Stan Collymore

[schfc6]

He is best centre halve in the country in fact in Europe but I have no problem with are centre halves who are all very capable and decent footballers also

Did you not watch Thiago Silva look thrice the player when old Virg was all over the place in Paris & Silva strolled around bullying the Worlds best front 3?

He’s great till pressured.
He excelles in a similar way to Terry, needs lots of protection from in front of him.

There’s a reason Liverpool play 3 defensive midfielders.

 

[Craig]

Did you not watch Thiago Silva look thrice the player when old Virg was all over the place in Paris & Silva strolled around bullying the Worlds best front 3?

He’s great till pressured.
He excelles in a similar way to Terry, needs lots of protection from in front of him.

There’s a reason Liverpool play 3 defensive midfielders.

He's on a different planet to Terry. Terry was very good but needed to sit deep as he couldn't run. Vvd can play in any style as he has the lot.

 

[schfc6]

He's on a different planet to Terry. Terry was very good but needed to sit deep as he couldn't run. Vvd can play in any style as he has the lot.

Why is it then that no top club went for him & Liverpool play 3 defensive midfielders to cover his faults?

 

[Craig]

Why is it then that no top club went for him & Liverpool play 3 defensive midfielders to cover his faults?

Thought we were interested? Plus he went to Liverpool for a record fee. Their manager isn't as attacking as ours with his midfield selections and hopefully that costs them. I don't think that has anything to do with Vvd though. I think he's absolutely brilliant and don't think he's overhyped. Perfectly happy with what we have mind.

 

[KCblue]

 

[Mr.Feeny]

Thought we were interested? Plus he went to Liverpool for a record fee. Their manager isn't as attacking as ours with his midfield selections and hopefully that costs them. I don't think that has anything to do with Vvd though. I think he's absolutely brilliant and dontd think he's overhyped. Perfectly happy with what we have mind.

He is. I remember plenty of people incredulous at the price tag but that turned out to be the right move. He has transformed Liverpool's defense. As you said, he isn't similar to Terry at all. In my opinion, he's a Rio Ferdinand clone. Van Dijk rarely tackles, from the matches I've watched him in. He focuses on his positioning and shielding the ball from strikers.

His awareness and defensive presence are world class. I think he's the best defender in the Premier League and I don't think anybody besides Laporte is that close. Europe is another matter entirely. Godin is still a beast.

 

[KentBlue]

I think he's the best defender in the Premier League

Well, that's open to debate. He's very good, no doubting his abilities: but he has lapses now and again, and against lower to mid-table sides he can get away with it. The 'lesser' teams (I know, I know, that sounds incredibly patronising) play hoofball a lot of the time and for a big bloke like him that's meat and drink. But teams with a little more finesse and a more tactically astute manager, will find a way to get around him.

 

[Petetheblu]

Let me take you back to when Mancini was in charge and our defence was the best defence in Europe (with Kolarov), along came Pellegrini and things changed in one season. Defensively we were shocking at time in his second season, why? Because our formation and tactics had changed.

Van Hype plays in a cozy defence, put him in our team and he'd be a lot more exposed, put Laporte in Liverpool's side and he'd be talked about a lot more.

Even Lovren looks decent, I wonder if he'd get in pep's team? It's all about the formation and system and a players skill set for that system.

I don't think VVD would be half the player in a City shirt and Laporte and even Ottie would be fantastic in a Liverpools system.

 

[Churchlawtonblue]

Let me take you back to when Mancini was in charge and our defence was the best defence in Europe (with Kolarov), along came Pellegrini and things changed in one season. Defensively we were shocking at time in his second season, why? Because our formation and tactics had changed.

Van Hype plays in a cozy defence, put him in our team and he'd be a lot more exposed, put Laporte in Liverpool's side and he'd be talked about a lot more.

Even Lovren looks decent, I wonder if he'd get in pep's team? It's all about the formation and system and a players skill set for that system.

I don't think VVD would be half the player in a City shirt and Laporte and even Ottie would be fantastic in a Liverpools system.

I have to agree, Liverpool are set up more defensively than us. Don't believe all the free flowing football hype the media portray. Yes they are good but they are still the best of the rest compared to City. Dick would be much more exposed in our system. If you excuse the turn of phrase.

 

[Mr.Feeny]

Well, that's open to debate. He's very good, no doubting his abilities: but he has lapses now and again, and against lower to mid-table sides he can get away with it. The 'lesser' teams (I know, I know, that sounds incredibly patronising) play hoofball a lot of the time and for a big bloke like him that's meat and drink. But teams with a little more finesse and a more tactically astute manager, will find a way to get around him.

Yeah i understand what you're saying. But that's true of every defender. There is no perfect defender. Maybe the problem was talking in superlatives (the best x) rather than talking about quality because the moment we do that, the reaction is to point out flaws that make a defender less than perfect. Which is the case with everyone.

Long route or hoof football is easier to deal with for a big defender,as you said, but that isn't the only good thing he's at, in my opinion.

He reads the game well. Little things that we don't usually focus too much on. When a striker has the ball between the lines and runs at a central defender, it's always a chance to do damage. In those situations (granted, only from what I've seen and I haven't watched all his games), he tends to make the right decision without fail. He marshalls the striker onto his weak foot when isolated. He sends the striker towards the middle when he sees a potential overlap and avoids a disadvantage by forcing the striker into help defense.

These are little details that don't get as much attention as a crunching tackle, but he does them almost all the time. Always makes the right decisions. Players like him would flourish under people like Guardiola (or Klopp in his case).